Category Archives: oud

Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive Software ( TTWO ) posted better-than-expected fiscal-fourth-quarter earnings late Wednesday, as older game titles continued to drive sales. Take-Two earned 46 cents a share excluding items on sales of $377 million in the quarter ended March 31. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters had expected the New York-based company to earn 26 cents a share on sales of $306 million. On a year-over-year basis, earnings per share fell 6%, and sales fell 12%. The company faced tough comparisons to the year-earlier quarter, when “Evolve” was released. Take-Two’s fiscal Q4 earnings were bolstered by older titles like “Grand Theft Auto 5,” which first launched in September 2013; “NBA 2K16,” released last September; and “WWE 2K16,” released in October. The company’s “Grand Theft Auto Online” service also posted strong results. New game “XCOM 2” contributed to sales as well. Take-Two stock was up 4%, near 37, in midday trading on the stock market today . Its shares hit a record high of 38.52 on April 4. Two other big game publishers also are trading near all-time highs. Activision Blizzard ( ATVI ) was down 1.5% to below 38 midday Wednesday. Activision hit a record high of 39.93 on Dec. 29. And  Electronic Arts ( EA ) was down 1%, near 74, but it scored a record high of 77.15 on Monday. Take-Two’s guidance for the current fiscal year, however, disappointed, as the company will not release an anticipated sequel to its “Red Dead” Western game this year. At the midpoint of its guidance, Take-Two expects to earn $1.13 a share on sales of $1.55 billion in fiscal 2017. Analysts were modeling $1.91 and $1.76 billion, respectively. Take-Two’s game slate includes the release this month of “Battleborn”; “NBA 2K17” in September; and “Mafia 3,” Civilization 6” and “WWE 2K17” in October. Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson reiterated his overweight rating on Take-Two stock with a price target of 40. “While fiscal 2017 guidance is below consensus, most investors will likely give Take-Two a pass on the outlook, given it does not include a new version of ‘Red Dead,’ and management is hinting that fiscal 2018 will be a year of strong growth,” Olson said. In a statement, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said the company’s Rockstar Games studio is “hard at work on some exciting future projects that will be revealed soon.” Rockstar is the studio behind the “Red Dead” and “Grand Theft Auto” franchises. Take-Two noted that “Grand Theft Auto 5” to date has sold 65 million units, up 5 million in the last quarter. Take-Two Lacking Major Game Catalyst Rest Of Year The lack of a Rockstar game this year leaves Take-Two stock without a major catalyst, said Pacific Crest Securities analyst Evan Wilson. Fiscal 2017 will be the second consecutive year without a Rockstar game, he said in a research note. Wilson rates Take-Two stock as sector weight. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian maintained his neutral rating on Take-Two stock but cut his price target to 37 from 38. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter reiterated his neutral rating on Take-Two but raised his price target to 32 from 30.50. “We continue to be impressed by Take-Two’s ability to consistently deliver upside to both its guidance and consensus expectations,” Pachter said in a report. “Grand Theft Auto 5’s phenomenal catalog sales and the ongoing robust performance of Grand Theft Auto Online position the company to deliver profits for the foreseeable future; however, we remain unwilling to recommend Take-Two shares until we have greater visibility into its long-term release pipeline.” RELATED: EA Scores Positive Reviews From Investor Day; Stock Gets PT Hike Activision Blizzard Ready To Rack Up Points From E-Sports Disney’s Exit From Toys-To-Life Video Games Could Boost Activision .